-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- If you want a world-class education without the hefty price tag it usually carries , it 's time you pack your bags and head to Germany .

The country 's federal state of Lower Saxony became the last region to scrap tuition fees in mid-October , which means that studying in Germany is now completely free even for international students .

So wherever you come from , doors of elite institutions like the University of Heidelberg and Technical University of Munich , both among the world 's top 100 universities , are flung wide open if you 're a gifted student .

`` We do n't want higher education which depends on the wealth of the parents , '' Gabriele Heinen-Kljajic , minister for science and culture of Lower Saxony told German Pulse .

Her Hamburg counterpart Dorothee Stapelfeldt , whose region abolished fees in 2012 , called tuition fees socially unjust : `` They particularly discourage young people who do not have a traditional academic family background from taking up studies . It is a core task of politics to ensure that young women and men can study with a high quality standard free of charge in Germany , '' she told Britain 's The Times newspaper .

Low cost/high rank

Germany has had a long tradition of free education , introducing fees only in 2006 when the constitutional court ruled that moderate tuition fees were not at odds with the country 's pledge for education for all . However , even at around $ 1,300 per year , significantly lower than $ 14,500 and $ 30,000 paid by UK and U.S. students respectively , the fees caused widespread backlash , with federal states dropping them one by one .

The funding gap was mainly bridged by the government , with the average worker in Germany facing a tax burden on labor income of 49.3 % in 2013 , the second highest rate out of 34 OECD member countries .

The country is already a major destination for international students , ranking third in the world after the U.S. and Great Britain , according to data from the OECD . Overseas students flock to the Germany 's illustrious universities , attracted by the relatively low cost of living and a vibrant cultural scene and nightlife .

Independent thinking

But before you pack up and go , be aware that studying in Germany can be a very different to campus-based life common in the U.S. and Britain . Lectures often pack up to 200 people , and there is a greater onus on the student to keep track of all the reading and deadlines .

`` I feel like English universities are a bit more like schools , they really look after you , print out your timetable for you , and if you miss a seminar they ring you up and ask is everything ok . In Germany , you have to be more independent , '' says former CNN intern Phoebe Parke who spent a year studying at Berlin 's Humboldt University during the 2011/2012 academic year .

`` My campus was spread all over Berlin , so I would take the underground between classes . That was very difficult if you did n't know the city because there was n't really anyone to help you , and the buildings were sometimes out of the way , '' adds Parke , who completed her studies at Britain 's Warwick University .

Navigating your way

Social life for international students can also be harder to form , as many German students study in their home town and often live with their parents , or share an apartment with friends .

But if you negotiate those challenges successfully , Parke says that the German system offers freedom to expand your interests : `` There is a lot less pressure on students because they are not paying for it , so it 's more about the pursuit of learning than just passing an exam and forgetting everything . But you are the one propelling your education forward , not the lecturer . ''

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Germany now offers 100 % free university education

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The measure includes international students

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Germany is the third most popular destination for overseas students

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But the university system is very different to the one in the U.S.